


XCOM Report - The Crystal Gems

by Swordtheguy



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon), The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (Video Game), XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012)
Genre: One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 03:54:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6888952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swordtheguy/pseuds/Swordtheguy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Internal document for the XCOM Commander's eyes only.</p><p> </p><p>One Shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	XCOM Report - The Crystal Gems

**XCOM Project**  
**Report on**  
**known Alien Cell on Earth**

What follows is for XCOM Commander Harper's eyes only.

 

This is a transcript of an interview with three know aliens, of a race known as "Gems".  
They are individually known as Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, with another known associate, Steven Universe, who was not present for the interview.  
The interview was conducted by Central Officer John Bradford.

October 18, 2015  
XCOM Holding Unit, American Midwest

  
Bradford- (Walking into holding room) Well... This is certainly... Interesting.

(Silence)

Bradford- I just to start by saying that XCOM appreciates what you're doing here. We know that-

Pearl- And just what do you know about us exactly?

Bradford- More than you might think. (Pause) Your base of operations located on the edge of the small resort town, Beach City. It's been under surveillance ever since the start of the XCOM Project seven months ago.

Pearl- You've been spying on us?!

Bradford- ...Yes.

Amethyst- What, did you think we were going to blow up your base or something?

Bradford- Not... Precisely.

Amethyst- (Chuckles) In case you were too busy looking at the temple to notice, but we've been fighting the invading aliens too.

Bradford- We're aware. And XCOM thanks you for-

Garnet- Enough. Why did you bring us here?

Bradford- Well, officially it's because you three, the... (Looks at clipboard) ..."Crystal Gems", have been labeled an alien threat by the Council of Nations.

Garnet- Alien threat?

Pearl- I can assure you that we are no threat to Earth.

Bradford- And XCOM Commander Harper agrees. She's why you're here instead of in a containment cell.

Garnet- Then if we all agree we're not a threat, why were we brought here?

Bradford- Because there's still a problem. (Flips notes on clipboard) The Council of Nations have just passed a measure that, when it goes into effect, would label any extraterrestrial life currently inhabiting the planet, a threat to human existence.

Amethyst- So now your council... thing is scared that we're coming for them next?

Bradford- No. Strictly speaking, the Council of Nations isn't even aware your existence. Commander Harper has done her best to keep the knowledge of your operations within XCOM.

Pearl- Why would she do that?

Bradford- Because the Commander trusts you. She wants you to have your continued independence so that you may resume your efforts fighting the Gem-based monsters that still roam around the Beach City area.

(Silence)

Bradford- And there's something else for you to consider. Both the Council and several officials in XCOMs ranks have begun discussing the implications of alien tampering with human evolution. The discovery of humanities potential psionic capabilities was what won us the war after all. But, despite that, there is a growing concern that, with that type of evolution, humanity could lose our, well... our humanity.

Garnet- Gems aren't psionic. What does any of this have to do with us?

Bradford- Not you. Someone else. (Pause) Steven Quartz Universe... If you went into almost any government record you'd never find that name. No social security, no birth certificate, not even any school records. The closest match you would find is Greg Universe, but even his records would seem to indicate that he basically disappeared over twenty years ago.

Garnet- Leave Steven out of this. He's just a boy.

Bradford- Maybe, but to the Council and several notable higher-up's in various world governments, he would be seen as a representation of aliens tampering with human genetics. If they found out about his existence, things could become... messy.

(Silence)

Pearl- Is that why you brought us here? To threaten Steven? To give us some kind of head start to begin running away because your commander is such a huge fan of ours?

Bradford- My-... XCOMs intention is not to threaten. I am merely laying everything out in the open. A certain level of trust will be needed in order for us to move forward.

Garnet- You speak of trust, but all you've done is threaten our mission and those we care about. Why should we trust you?

Bradford- Because your former leader, Rose Quartz did.

(Silence)

Garnet- That's certainly an audacious lie to tell.

Bradford- It's not a lie (Flips note on clipboard) In 1962 then President Kennedy approved the formation of the Bureau of Strategic Emergency Command. Officially, it was to act as a safeguard against rising tensions in eastern Europe. Unofficially, however, the Bureau's director, Myron Faulke, had another vision for his organization: a bulwark against attacks from "Outsiders", hostile extraterrestrial forces whom he believed had been operating on Earth for the past six months. It turns out he was more right than anyone realized. The Bureau, then renamed XCOM, began it's operations to halt the alien activity.

Amethyst- As... interesting as this history lesson is, I don't really care. Skip to the part about Rose.

Bradford- On a mission led by Special Agent William Carter, he and his squad encountered Rose Quartz being attacked by multiple hostiles. After helping her dispatch them, they had a... tense exchange that only ended after Agent Carter instructed his men to lower and then put down their weapons.

Pearl- Seems like your not quite as crazy as you seem.

Bradford- Agent Carter knew when he was matched. And he also started the XCOM protocol of never discarding a useful tool, despite its origins.

Pearl- Rose wasn't just a "tool".

Bradford- That's not what I meant. While Rose Quartz was unwilling to part with any tech she had acquired, she did give XCOM a report on various locations that were witness to the recent alien activity. It was significantly more detailed than anything XCOM had at the time and the information she gave them ultimately led to the defeat of the invaders.

Garnet- And then she told you about the temple?

Bradford- No. Director Faulke ordered her tracked. That's how we came to know about your base of operations.

Pearl- You tracked her? Without her even knowing? Hmph. This is why we don't work with humans more often. They can be very untrustworthy.

Bradford- Regardless, Rose, along with you three remained under surveillance until the invaders were repelled. At that point, the old XCOM was disbanded.

Amethyst- Until the aliens came back and started blowing stuff up again.

Bradford- Yes, that's right. The new XCOM Project inherited all the records from the old, including your location. When we restarted surveillance and didn't find any sign of Rose Quartz, but instead found a seemingly human boy who possessed what looked like her gem and was being looked after by the same Gems that had followed Rose Quartz... Well, it didn't take long to put the pieces together.

Pearl- If you've been watching us then you know that Steven doesn't mean harm to anyone.

Bradford- That's what Commander Harper believes, and myself as well if we're being honest. While some may believe that only humanity can or should protect Earth, the Commander thinks that anyone willing should be allowed to take up the defense of their home.

Garnet- You still haven't told us why we're here.

Bradford- We wanted you to know what has happened within XCOM to lead to this point. Because the proposition about to be put before you could, at an unknown date, decide the future of this planet and all life on it. (Pause) I, Central Officer John Bradford, empowered by acting Director and Commanding Officer of XCOM Alyssa Harper, formally invite the Crystal Gems to become official Agents of XCOM.

(Silence)

Bradford- What this means is that during times of peace, you will be allowed to maintain your base at Beach City and continue to hunt and fight the Gem creatures. However, if or when this planet falls under attack by extraterrestrial invaders, you will be called upon to join XCOMs ranks and fight to protect the Earth.

(Silence)

Garnet- This is crazy.

Amethyst- Yeah, gotta agree with G-Squad.

Pearl- Our mission is broader and more important than you know. We won't agree to anything that takes away from our mission.

Bradford- You said yourself that you fought against the Ethereals invasion. Would you not do it again if they invaded again?

(Silence)

Bradford- Look. Whether you want to believe it or not, the world is on the cusp of a great change. The public at large now know that, not only are we not alone in the universe, but that there is life within it that could if they wanted to, wipe us out to the last man. (Pause) We must be ready for when the day comes that all life on Earth is threatened. And that means making allies when we can. (Pause) According to the old XCOM records, Rose Quartz said that she defended Earth from anything that might threaten it. That is XCOMs mission. Vigilo Confido...

(Silence)

Garnet- We would like a minute to discuss it among ourselves.

Bradford- Alright. I'm turning off all audio and video recording in this room while I'm gone. You'll have complete privacy.

(Feed Ended)

  
(Feed Renabled)

Bradford- (Enters room) So. Made a decision?

Pearl- This... isn't something we would enter into lightly. If we're going to make this alliance, we have our own stipulations.

Bradford- Of course. What are they?

Pearl- First, and this is non-negotiable, if XCOM sounds the call to arms we'll answer, but Steven won't. We want him exempted from this.

Bradford- I'm sure that can be arranged. Anything else?

Pearl- Yes. You said that if alien invaders ever threaten Earth again, you'll defend it.

Bradford- That's right.

Garnet- A noble sentiment. However, we want an exception. If the day comes, when the Gem Homeworld returns to Earth, we want XCOM to stand down.

Amethyst- That's also non-negotiable, by the way.

Bradford- That's... a tall order. I'll have to run that by my superiors.

Pearl- If Homeworld returns, they'll be here for us, not you. Let us handle it. If humanity tries to get in the way, you'll only get hurt.

Bradford- Very well. I'm pretty sure the Commander will agree to that. Now if there isn't anything else...

(Feed Ended)


End file.
